Collaboration Skills

In Special Education

SPED 568

Components of Collaboration

Communication

Skills

PersonalCommitment

Programs or

Services

InteractionProcesses

Context

Components of Collaboration

Communication

Skills

PersonalCommitment

Programs or

Services

InteractionProcesses

Context

Programs or

Services

Components of Collaboration

Communication

Skills

PersonalCommitment

Programs or

Services

InteractionProcesses

ContextInteractio

n Processes

Teams

Rationale

A group offers a greater amount of knowledge and experience A greater number of possible

approaches to a problem exist within a group

Problem solving in a group involves greater communication

and understanding of the decision.

Participation in decision making increases acceptance of the

decision

A group decision provides safeguards against individual errors in judgment

An educational team…

To Achieve Mutual Goal

Interdependent

Individuals

Unique Skills and

Perspectives

Interact Directly

An educational team…

Effective

Service Deliver

y

Interdependent

Individuals

Unique Skills and

Perspectives

Interact Directly

Disciplinary Relationships on Teams

Multidisciplinary teams Makes decisions about eligibility and programs

Interdisciplinary teams Coordination of information and services

Transdisciplinary teams Most collaborative of the team model based on a

process known as role release

Collaboration and Teams

Collaboration can be applied to all types of teams.

Defining characteristics of a team are very similar to those of collaboration.

An effective team is a collaborative work group.

Characteristics of Educational Teams

• Individuals must perceive themselves as being part of a team• Team members must be perceived by others as forming a team

Awareness of Team Membership

• Shared norms facilitate effective team functioning.• New teams need to spend sometime establishing these norms.

Regulation of Interactions by Shared Norms

• An event that effects a team member is likely to affect the rest of the team.• Team actions will affect each individual member.

Interdependence of Team Members

• Teams consist of people with diverse expertise to generate creative solutions to mutually defined problems

Team Members' Unique Skills and Perspectives

• Teams in education and related services have service delivery as the overall goal shared by all members.

Shared Goal of Effective Service Delivery

Developmental Stages of a Team

FormingTestingPolite

Impersonal

WatchfulGuarded

Storming

InfightingControlling conflicts

Confronting people

Opting outFeeling stuck

NormingGetting

Organized

Build trustEstablishin

g procedure

sConfronting issues

Performing

Mature Closenes

sResourcefu

lFlexibleOpen

EffectiveSupportive

Adjourning

Task Complete

!

Problems in Group Dynamics

GroupDynami

cs

Group Think

Social Loafing

Unresolved Conflict

Acquiescence to

Dominance

Disjointed Diversity

Group ThinkGroups do not carefully evaluate alternative ideas or possible courses of actionDriven by excessive concurrence-seeking

team members agree with one another without question or dissent to maintain unity/harmony

Social LoafingThe tendency for people working together on a task to expend less energy than if they were working on it aloneEspecially likely when the team’s goals are not clearly defined

Acquiescence to DominanceThe tendency of cooperative,

introverted or passive persons to give in to the forcefulness of others

Blocks the contributions of less dominant team members

Allows decisions and directions to be controlled by a minority of team members

Unresolved ConflictPersonalized disagreements in

which the persons involved develop an adversarial stance

Blocks the team’s ability to collaborate

Decreases team moraleMay split and polarize the

teamDominates the dynamic until

resolved

Disjointed DiversityFailure to develop bonds across lines of diversityCan become the most powerful inhibiting

force on a teamSources: professional, religious, ethnic,

racial, socioeconomic, and political

The Meeting

Conducting Effective Team Meetings

Prior to the meetingDecide whether a meeting is neededDecide the purposeArticulate desired outcomesDelineate a realistic agenda and time frame

Arrange the setting

Conducting Effective Team Meetings

During the meetingReview agenda and timelinesParticipate effectivelyFormal roles Informal roles

Formal Roles of Team Members

Leader Makes sure team

accomplishes its workFacilitator

Ensures that members follow ground rules (norms)

Recorder Writes down work of the

teamTime Keeper

Reminds team members of time matters

Conducting Effective Team Meetings

After the meetingFollow through with individual team member responsibilities and tasks

Team Effectiveness Characteristics

Teams Goals are ClearMember's Needs are MetMember's Have Individual AccountabilityTeam Members Have Leadership SkillsGroup Processes Maintain the Team